BOSTON, Feb 28 (AFP) - Gail Devers became the firstAmerican to claim a 60 meters and 60m hurdles doublehere at the United States Indoor Track and FieldChampionship while a right leg injury ended MauriceGreene’s Saturday early.
Devers won the 60m hurdles in 7.81 seconds with JoannaHayes second in 7.91 and then captured the 60m crown in7.12, edging Torri Edwards at the finish line after shecrossed in the same time.
Devers plans to run both events at next week’s WorldIndoors in Budapest.
I'm running both,'' she said. I said if God allowsthe victory to happen then I’m supposed to go there. Ifnothing else I have to try. The good thing is that the60 is on the fifth and the hurdles on the seventh.’’
Taiwan champion Chi Cheng also achieved the 60msprint-hurdles double at the US meet back in 1970, whenUS athletes competed against those from other nations attheir national meet.
For 37-year-old Devers, the double gave her moreinspiration to run for Athens gold against youngerrivals.
My goal now is to find the motivation to keeprunning,'' Devers said. I had to find a reason and myreason today was to do something that had never beendone before, never done since 1970.’’
World 60m record holder Greene pulled out of the finalwith a right leg injury, reduced to spectator status asShawn Crawford won in 6.47 seconds with John Capelsecond in 6.52.
I can get out there and run but it doesn't makesense to take a chance now and interrupt all mytraining,'' Greene said. Emmanuel Hudson, manager of Greene's HSI traininggroup, said Greene aggravated the same leg two weeksbefore the Millrose Games and elected not toparticipate, which made this his first event of 2004. It’s not a big deal, just a precautionary measure,’‘Hudson said.
Greene finished third in his 2004 debut here Saturdayin a semi-final heat, the double Olympic sprint championfinishing in 6.61sec, fast enough to qualify for thefinal.
Greene, who had not raced since being eliminated inthe semi-finals of the World Outdoor Championships lastAugust in Paris, trailed semi-final heat winnerCrawford’s 6.55 and Mickey Grimes’ 6.59.
Greene, 29, was in the first of three heats and itproved to be the fastest. Greene, in lane seven, wasquick at the start but overtaken by Crawford and Grimes.
I had a good start,'' Greene said. I made a littlemistake but overall it wasn’t bad.’’
Greene set the 60m world record of 6.39 at the 1998World Indoor Championships in Madrid. Thesechampionships double as a qualifying event for USathletes for next week’s World Indoor Championships atBudapest.
Allen Johnson captured the men’s 60m hurdles crown in7.44 with Duane Ross second in 7.59.
Joseph Mendel led men’s 400m finals qualifiers in46.68 while Ellannee Richardson paced the women in52.93.
BOSTON, Massachusetts, Feb 28 (AFP) - Reigning Olympic100 metres champion Maurice Greene finished third in his2004 debut here Saturday but was quick enough to reachthe 60 meter final at the United States Indoor AthleticsChampionships.
Greene, who had not raced since being eliminated inthe semi-finals of the World Outdoor Championships lastAugust in Paris, finished in 6.61sec, trailingsemi-final heat winner Shawn Crawford’s 6.55 and MickeyGrimes’ 6.59.
Greene, 29, was in the first of three heats and itproved to be the fastest. Greene, in lane seven, wasquick at the start but was overtaken by Crawford andGrimes.
I had a good start,'' Greene said. I made a littlemistake but overall it wasn’t bad.’’
Greene watched as the winners in the two followingheats could not beat his time, securing him a place inthe final later Saturday here at the qualifying eventfor US athletes for next week’s World IndoorChampionships at Budapest.
He set the 60m world record of 6.39 at the 1998 WorldIndoor Championships in Madrid.